Complementary and Alternative Medicine Options
Expand Health Care Choices
By Diana D. Hatch
March 2008

Many years ago, when still in college, I first encountered “alternative medicine.” I enrolled in a class called “Body Mechanics,” mainly because I could do it at any time I chose. (Most gym classes were not only difficult but also scheduled at inconvenient times.)

 I signed up for a session at 1pm twice a week and always arrived sleepy (probably because I stayed up much too late doing homework after devoting my prime productive hours to the daily student newspaper).

To solve my sleep deprivation, my instructor taught me a technique to completely relax my body by tightening all my muscles, taking deep breaths and then slowly releasing all muscle groups, one at a time, until I was totally limp and usually asleep. But before I started, I determined how long I wanted to sleep - five minutes, ten minutes, maybe a half hour.  I would look at my watch, go though the exercise, fall asleep and wake up, almost without exception, at the precise time I had chosen. And I would feel like I had been sleeping for several hours. My instructor gave me a wonderful gift that I use even today.

Now I work with a naturopathic doctor who advises me on supplements to balance my system and minimize pain. I see a chiropractor on a regular basis to keep my body in alignment.

Physical therapy helped me recover from two knee replacements and gave me back the joy of walking. The cooperation of a skillful surgeon and talented therapists demonstrated what could happen when conventional and complementary therapies unite.
           
In each case I was referred by a family practitioner or internist to the physicians I work with. Many of these doctors, who chose to practice complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), have equally as much training as those in a conventional practice. They start with the same basic medical courses and then specialize in an area such as chiropractic, naturopathy, physical therapy or many other options. 

A growing number of people are looking to CAM for additional solutions. An AARP Public Policy Institute report from the mid-nineties defines CAM as “covering a wide range of medical approaches, therapies and philosophies that, in general, have been rejected or neglected by physicians in the United States in the age of modern medicine.”

While this might have been true even a decade ago, the picture is changing. Many of these treatments can be used in conjunction with (complementary) or instead of (alternative) more conventional treatments.

There are a great variety of CAM treatments.
Here are some of the therapies you might explore:

• Mind-Body Healing which focuses on using the power of your mind to improve health (meditation, prayer, music therapy, bio-feedback).

• Alternative Medical Systems, or complete systems of medical practice and care that developed apart from the mainstream approach used in the U.S. (Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy)

• Biologically based therapies, which use natural substances like food and herbs in healing (herbal products and food supplements).

• Body-based or manipulative methods, which promote healing by moving one or more parts of the body (chiropractic, massage, osteopathy)

• Energy therapies or treatments that tap the body’s energy fields (therapeutic touch, magnets).

In the mid-nineties, the American Medical Association adopted a position “encouraging its members, as individuals and groups, to become better informed regarding alternative (complementary) medicine and to participate in appropriate studies of it.”

The primary users are people between 50 and 64 years of age, according to an AARP study. Overall, 37% of all adults participate in some sort of complementary or alternative therapy.

Several of our area hospitals, such as Duke University Medical Center, University Hospital at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Rex and Wake Med, all offer some kind of CAM programs.  You can learn more by going to their Web sites.

One of the key organizations seeking to win greater acceptance of these kinds of therapies is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) a component of The National Institutes of Health (NIH).

NCCAM offers fact sheets on anything from how to find a CAM therapist to detailed descriptions on herbal supplements, including the common name; Latin name; the purpose it is used for; how is it used; and what science says about its safety.

The staff at NCAM has some important advice for anyone deciding to use complementary and alternative medicine.

• Take charge of your health by being an informed consumer. Find out what scientific studies have been done on the safety and effectiveness of the CAM treatment in which you are interested.

• Decisions about medical care and treatment should be made in consultation with your health care provider and based on your condition and needs.  Discuss information on CAM with your physician before making any decisions about treatment or care.

• Tell your doctor about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help to ensure coordinated and safe care.

When choosing a practitioner, check references through your family doctor, hospitals, medical schools or professional associations that can provide further information on what to expect from the treatment you are considering.

Some questions you might want to ask a provider
about CAM therapy include:

• What kind of track record does this type of care have in treating my condition?
• Is this treatment safe? What are the risks, benefits and side effects?
• How long has this treatment been used for my condition?
• What does this treatment involve?
• What should I expect to happen when I get the treatment?
• What kind of facilities and providers will I be using?
• What are your credentials?

Check with your insurer to see if the services will be covered. While some insurance companies are beginning to pay for the more popular and established CAM treatments (such as chiropractic), you will have to pay for many of the therapies or supplements out of your own pocket. Before you sign up, find out how much it will cost and how many treatments your provider thinks it will take. See if there is some kind of payment plan available to you.

Many consumers assume that “natural” is synonymous with “safe.” That’s not necessarily true. Individuals respond differently to treatments. What works for a friend may not be the right thing for you.

Beware of false claims. As in any other fraud, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is and you could be putting your life on the line.

NCCAM recommends checking dietary supplements on the Food and Drug Administration Web site (www.fda.gov).

Another good place to check is the AARP Web site (www.aarp.org), click on the heading HEALTH and enter the key words alternative and complementary medicine.

Many of these therapies date back centuries, but in the U.S. we have just begun to probe the potential of complementary and alternative therapies to heal those who are ill and promote wellness.